Zipper shirt



M. L. KAPLA N Aug. 17, 1954 ZIPPER SHIRT 4 Sheets-Sheet l Filed April 5,1950 J7 J3 JJ INVENTOR rri'LapZarz ATTORNEY M. L. KAPLAN ZIPPER SHIRTAug. 17, 1954 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 5, 1950 MorrisLQ/apla BY Maw;

ATTORNEY M. L. KAPLAN IAug. 17, 1954 ZIPPER SHIRT 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 FiledApril 5, 1950 n 1/ /1 1/ Il l, /l l/ Il' Il Il 1r 11 n i L r11 11 11 l'l 11 Il l INVENTOR ATTORNEY Augl7, 1954 M. L. KAPLAN 2,686,315

ZIPPER SHIRT Filed April 5, 1950 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR Norris L pIam ATTORNEY Patented Aug. 17, 1954 srArs PATENT CFFICE ZIPPER SHIRTMorris L. Kaplan, Hazleton, Pa., assignor to The Shirtcraft Co., Inc.,Hazleton, Pa., a corporation of New York 10 Claims.

This invention relates to an improved shirt construction, and thisapplication is a continuation-in-part of my applications, Serial Nos.90,955, led May 2, 1949, now Patent No. 2,639,432, dated May 25, 1953,and 110,592, led August 16, 1949, now abandoned.

The object of the invention is to provide a shirt for general wear andwhich will employ a Zipper fastening structure instead of theconventional buttons.

Another object of the invention is to provide a neat appearing shirt inwhich the zipper structure will be concealed and which may be washed andironed without danger of having the Zipper structure so emboss the frontplait of the shirt as to be objectionable.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 is a detailed sectional View showingone step in the manufacture of the shirt wherein layers of cloth andthermoplastic impregnated cloth together with a cord are built up insuperposed relation.

Figure 1A is a view similar to Figure 1 wherein the cord is disposedbetween the upper or cloth layer and the thermoplastic impregnatedfabric r lower layer.

Figure 2 is a sectional View showing the construction of Figure 1 or 1Aattached to a shirt body, i. e., one side of the shirt front.

Figure 3 is a sectional View of the construction shown in Figure 2 afterthe thermoplastic layer has been fused under heat and pressure.

Figure 4 is a sectional view showing a zipper stringer attached to theconstruction shown in Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a sectional View showing a front plait secured to thestructure shown in Figure 4.

Figure 6 is an expanded view of the construction shown in Figure 5,partly in perspective and partly in section, and showing the location ofthe zippers in a recess defined by the adjacent ridge formed by theinclusion of the cord.

Figure '.7 is a perspective view showing the relation of the zipperStringer to the ridge formed by the cord and also showing the manner inwhich the stitching of the Zipper Stringer for securing the same may beskipped to provide an opening which will receive a tie clasp, therebeing any suitable number of such bridges located as desired withrelation to the shirt.

Figure 8 is a view similar to Figure 7 with the parts broken away.

Figure 9 is a section on the line 9 9 of Figure 8.

Figure 10 is a sectional View similar to Figure 5 differing therefrom inthat the structure 2 shown in Figures 1 or 1A through Figure 4 isattached to the front plait of the shirt as distinguished from Figure 5wherein such structure is attached to the body of the shirt and thefront plait then attached to the body.

Figures 11 to 16 show a preferred improved manner of forming a frontplait which may be used in any of the forms of the invention, and

Figures 17 to 22 illustrate another manner of forming the front plait.

Referring to the drawings, in Figure 1 there is shown a layer of cottoncloth Il! and a layer of cloth il impregnated with thermoplasticmaterial. These layers may be stitched together if desired along oneedge as shown at i2. On one side of the layer Ii there is from one plyto a multiple amount of ply, depending on the thicl;- ness of thezipper. The cord and layers are stitched together by a central line ofstitching I4, to form a strip.

In Figure 1A the cord is disposed between the layers as shown.

Either of the constructions shown in Figure 1 or 1A may be used inaccordance with this invention and the inventions described in myabove-mentioned copending applications.

Referring to Figure 2, the construction shown in Figure 1 or 1A isattached to the shirt body I5 forming one side of the shirt front by aline of stitching I6.

The construction shown in Figure 3 is fused under heat and pressure toatten out the saine, unite the layers l!! and I I and the shirt body I5by fusing and produce the longitudinally extending rib or ridge I'I. Aswill be appreciated, the cord also will be united by fusing with thelayer Il.

Referring to Figure 4,. the zipper Stringer I8 has the cloth portionfolded upon itself and stitched as shown at I9. The line of zippers 29is disposed in the recess dened just to the left of the ridge Il, andthe zipper Stringer is connected to the shirt body fabric I5 by a lineof stitching 2i which may also if desired extend through the layers I0and Il.

Referring to Figure 5, the front plait of the shirt is indicated at 22as a whole, and comprises an inner layer of thermoplastic treated cloth23 enclosed in a fabric layer 2li, The layer 2t and the thermoplasticlayer 23 are fused together and the plait so formed is stitched to thestructure shown in Figure 4 by a line of stitching 25 and to the freeedge portion of the shirt body 25 by a line of stitching 21. In somecases, it is desirable to fold over the free edge portion of the shirtbody as shown at 28 with the stitching 21 running through both layers ofthe fold, if desired. Referring to Figures 6 and 7, it will be notedthat the ridge I? forms a recess to one side thereof indicated at 2S,and when the shirt is washed and ironed, the presence of the ridge I1and recess 29 assures against any embossing of the zippers through thefront plait, whereby the exposed front layer 22 of the plait is smoothand neat appearing at all times.

The fabric layer. I and the impregnated fabric layer II are cut on abias or crosswise with respect to the running length of the threads and,hence, these strips I0 and II shrink relatively little in the washing ofthe shirt. This is of considerable importance since the stringerscarrying the zippers usually shrink to an appreciable extent, and sincethe stringers carrying the mating zippers will both shrink the Sameamount, the zippers will always be properly aligned which would not bethe case if the layers I0 and I I Were allowed to introduce a furthershrinkage factor. This, as explained is precluded by forming the stripsIE! and II in a manner to cut the cloth crosswise or on a bias withrespect to the running length of the threads.

Referring to Figure '7, the line of stitching 2I securing the Stringerto the shirt body or the built up Structure as shown in Figures 4 and 5is stopped at any desired point to form a bridge 3G shown in Figure 9for the purpose of inserting one leg 3l of a tie clasp 32 as illustratedin Figures 7 and 8. In other words, the stitching 2| is stopped toprovide the spaces or bridges 30 at which the Stringer iS not stitchedto the body or the structure shown in Figure 4 as in Figure 5, and thismay be done to provide any number of bridges located at variousdistances below the neck of the shirt or above the waist according tothe size of the garment and to meet individual tastes of the wearer.

Referring to Figure 10 and comparing the same with Figure 5, it will benoted that whereas in Figure 5 the front plait is attached to the bodyby lines of stitching and 21, i. e., the structure shown in Figure 4 andthe front plait 22 are stitched together, in Figure 10 the structureshown in Figure 4 is attached4 directly to the front plait which in turnis stitched to the body. The thermoplastic layer 23 is enclosed in thefabric layer 24 and the layers are fused together, with the free edgeportion 33 of the fabric 24 lying open. Thereupon the structure shown inFigure 4 without the Stringer i8 is Stitched to the free marginalportion 33 of the fabric 24 forming the back of the shirt plait by aline of stitching 34. The Stringer I8 is folded upon itself as in Figure4 and then Stitched through the layer 33 and the layers I0 and II by aline of stitching 35. The front section of the shirt body I5 is thenstitched to the marginal portion 33 of the fabric 24 or to the foldedover marginal portion 36 as shown in Figure 10 by a line of stitching31, after which the plait portion defined by the layers 24 and 23 isfolded over along the line 31 and connected to the body by a line ofstitching 38. A further line of stitching 39 is provided to connect thefused layers 2li-23 with the free marginal portion 33 of the fabric 24.

Referring to Figures 11 to 16, there is illustrated a preferred form offront plait which may be employed in any of the forms of this inventionand in my aforementioned copending applications.

In forming this front plait, a strip of thermoplastic impregnated fabricindicated at 4I) is laid upon a layer or strip of shirt fabric 4I withone marginal edge portion of the strip 40 extending beyond the marginaledge portion of the strip 4I as shown at 42 and a marginal edge of theShirt fabric 4I extending beyond the adjacent marginal edge of the strip4I] as Shown at 43. Thereupon, the laminated structure is given a shortfusing treatment sufficient to lightly tack the Strips together to theform shown in Figures 11 and 14. The free portion 43 of the fabric isfolded over the strip 4D as shown in Figures 12 and l5 at 44 and thenfolded again over strip 4t as shown at 45 in Figures 13 and 16. A freemarginal portion 46 may or may not be present as desired. The structureshown in Figures 13 and 16 is then subjected to the usual fusingoperation to form the front plait which may be sewed to the body I5 ofthe shirt as shown in Figures 5 and l0, as well as to the zipperstructure disclosed herein. It will be observed that the strip of fabric4I and the strip of thermoplastic treated fabric 4I) are fused togetherthroughout their coextensive areas, i. e., on both sides and ends of thefusing layer 40 including the portion 46' thereby to produce an integralstrip or front plait which will retain its form and neat appearanceduring the life of the garment.

Referring to Figures 17 to 22, a less preferred form of front plait isillustrated which may be used in accordance with this invention and theinventions described in my aforesaid copending applications. In thisform of the invention, the strip 40', i. e., the thermoplastic treatedfabric, and the strip 4I', i. e., the fabric facing layer for thefront-plait, are permanently fused together as shown at 41 in Figure 17and Figure 20. Thereupon, the fabric strip 4I is folded at 44' about thestrip 4G as shown in Figures 18 and 2l, and the opposite side 43 of thefabric is not thus connected by fusing to the strip 46 so that, in thestructure shown in Figures 19 and 22, the strips are only fused togetherat one side, namely, at the side of jointure indicated at 41 in Figure11.

Referring to Figures 4 to 8 and Figure 10, it will be noted that therecess 29, While it may be formed only by the ridge I1 with the Stringernot folded upon itself, is made more pronounced and effective to avoidembossing of the zippers upon the front of the plait during ironing orpressing, by folding the Stringer I8 upon itself as shown. In otherwords, as shown, the recess for the zippers has two side walls definedrespectively by the space between the ridge I1 and folded over StringerI3, which precludes Such objectionable embossing, since both walls exerta stiffening effect and resist compression.

The disclosures of my aforesaid copending applications are herebyincorporated in and made a part of this application.

I claim:

l. A front plait for shirts comprising a relatively wide thermoplasticlayer substantially enclosed in a layer of fabric, the layers beingunited by fusing said thermoplastic layer, a stripJ of thermoplastictreated fabric having fused 'thereto another strip of fabric, saidstrips being relatively narrow with respect to the width of the layersof the front plait and connected thereto on the inner side of the plait,a ridge on said narrower strips, and a Stringer on the inner side of theplait and carrying zippers, said Stringer being folded upon itself andconnected to the front plait on the inner side thereof, the zippersbeing disposed adjacent one side of said ridge whereby the latter formsa recess for the zippers, which will prevent embossing of the zippersupon the exposed surface of the plait when the latter is pressed orironed.

2. A front plait according to claim 1 wherein said ridge is provided bya cord.

3. A front plait according to claim 1 Wherein said ridge is provided bya cord disposed on the outside of said strips.

4. A front plait according to claim 1 wherein said ridge is formed by acord attached to the outside of the thermoplastic strip.

5. A front plait according to claim 1 wherein said ridge is formed by acord disposed between said strips.

6. A shirt structure having a front plait according to claim 1 whereinsaid strips and stringer are connected to the body of the shirt uponopposite sides thereof.

7. A shirt structure having a front plait according to claim 1 whereinthe plait is directly connected to the body of the shirt and said stripsand said Stringer are connected to the fabric layer on opposite sidesthereof.

8. A front plait according to claim 1 wherein said fabric strips are cutcrosswise of the running length of the threads of the fabric.

9. A front plait for shirts according to claim l wherein said layers arefused together sunstantially throughout their coextensive areas.

10. A front plait for shirts according to claim 1 wherein said layersare united by fusing on one side only.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 1,239,433 Reed Sept. 4, 1917 1,960,218 Craig May 22, 19342,083,047 Butow June 8, 1937 2,112,030 Klinkenstein Mar. 22, 19382,148,269 Koch Feb. 21, 1939 2,166,088 Boetcker July 11, 1939 2,228,624Frank Jan. 14, 1941 2,312,925 McBurney et al Mar. 2, 1943 2,377,933Glass June 12, 1945 2,402,032 Fischer June 11, 1946 2,517,271 AugustoAug. 1, 1950 2,578,664 Beery et al. Dec. 18, 1951

